Summary of the previous chapter: Huang Tianhu bribed Ma Xiaoquan to do something for him, and Ma Xiaoquan ostensibly agreed...
In the evening, Ma Xiaoquan sneaked back to the steward's residence and told Hua Yue that Huang Tianhu wanted to bribe him.
Hua Yue frowned slightly after listening to Ma Xiaoquan's retelling, and said: "Ma Xiaoquan, if I were you, I would agree to Huang Tianhu's bribery request."
Ma Xiaoquan nodded: "So I didn't refuse...but...I helped Huang Tianhu do things, which is equivalent to standing on the opposite side of Jiang Batian. If Jiang Batian finds out about me,
Then I will die miserably. Similarly, if Huang Tianhu feels that I have no use value, he will get rid of me just like throwing away unnecessary things. Yue'er, what do you think I should do?"
Hua Yue pondered for a moment and suggested: "I think you should tell Jiang Batian about Huang Tianhu's bribery of you."
Ma Xiaoquan said humbly: "I think so too, but it is already evening. If I go now, Jiang Batian will definitely say that I am slow and have some tricks..."
Hua Yue said with a smile: "You can lie, just say that you were resting and Huang Tianhu suddenly sent someone to bribe you. Well, I will inform Yi Fang Yun later and let him spread a rumor to Jiang Batian of the Fujian faction.
The news is that people from Henan came to see you in the evening, and I don’t know what they did..."
Ma Xiaoquan listened and praised: "Yue'er still has a way, hehe..."
Hua Yue blushed and urged Ma Xiaoquan: "Okay, don't delay, go see Jiang Batian now."
"good"
...
Caobang, inside the main hall of the Fujian School.
Jiang Batian weighed ten taels of official silver in his hand. In front of him, Hu Hansan, disguised as Ma Xiaoquan, was waiting respectfully without saying a word.
Jiang Batian squinted his eyes, gently clasped the official silver in his hand, and asked: "Han San, so Huang Tianhu is planning to give you money to make you turn against me?"
Ma Xiaoquan nodded and pretended to be respectful: "Yes, boss, Huang Tianhu didn't even think about it. I'm from Fujian. How could I betray my fellow villagers? It's really ridiculous..."
Jiang Batian was very satisfied with Ma Xiaoquan's attitude. Not long before, he had just received news from Fang Yun that someone from Henan sent to find Hu Hansan and Ma Xiaoquan after work in the evening... So...
, Huang Tianhu was indeed bribing Hu Hansan.
Jiang Batian nodded with satisfaction: "Your reaction speed is very fast, which shows that you are indeed from my Fujian sect."
Ma Xiaoquan held up his hands and said: "Boss, if you don't say anything else, as long as you can give me more food, that's all. If nothing happens, I'll leave."
"Wait a minute," Jiang Batian called to Ma Xiaoquan, "You just left like that. Then if Huang Tianhu sends someone to ask you again, how will you answer?"
"Oh, this..." Ma Xiaoquan scratched his head, "I haven't thought about this, I just don't agree with it."
"Idiot," Jiang Batian scolded with a smile, "You accepted money from others and didn't agree. Do you think they can spare you?"
"Oh, then... boss, how about I return another ten taels of silver to Huang Tianhu?"
Jiang Batian secretly laughed in his heart: This Hu Hansan is really a stupid young man. He took someone's money and took it all night, then went back. Who can give it to anyone?
"Okay, where is the money? Just take the food and drink with you, but on the surface, you must agree to Huang Tianhu..."
Ma Xiaoquan was in a difficult position: "Boss, why did Huang Tianhu let me steal our account books? I'm not very literate..."
Jiang Batian smiled and said: "This is easy to handle. Doesn't he want a ledger? I'll give you one. Just give it to him."
"Ah? How can that be done? Boss, wouldn't Huang Tianhu..."
Jiang Batian chuckled: "Of course my account books have been tampered with. Well, and you, Hu Hansan, since you pretended to have defected, you have to find a way to get close to Huang Tianhu and try to steal some money from him for me.
The ledger is back, do you understand?"
Ma Xiaoquan nodded, cupped his hands and said, "I obey."
"Okay, let's go down." Jiang Batian threw the ten taels of official silver in his hand to Ma Xiaoquan. Ma Xiaoquan took the official silver and bowed away.
...
The next day, Jiang Batian sent someone to give Ma Xiaoquan an account book. The contents of the account book were naturally fake, but given the superb skills of making dummies, ordinary people would not be able to tell.
Ma Xiaoquan took the account book and asked: "Didn't the boss say it will take two days? Why is it so fast?"
The person who gave him the account book didn't bite, just made a "do it as soon as possible" gesture, and left in a hurry.
Ma Xiaoquan kept his account books, found a place where no one was around, and looked through them secretly. After making sure that there was nothing detrimental to him, he put the account books away.
If something like delivering the ledger is done too quickly, it will arouse Huang Tianhu's suspicion, so it will have to be delayed for a few days, making Huang Tianhu think it is very difficult to handle. Of course, Jiang Batian cannot let him see it.
Just hide.
Three days later, Ma Xiaoquan delivered the account book given to him by Jiang Batian to Huang Tianhu.
Huang Tianhu looked at the account book, nodded with satisfaction, and praised: "Han San, you did a good job, but it seems that there is no important information written in this account book?"
Ma Xiaoquan shrugged: "Master Hu, I can't read either, so I can't understand. How about Master Hu tell me which ones are the most important in the account book?"
Huang Tianhu laughed loudly, shook his head and said: "Teach you? Then I have to teach you how to read. It will take too long. How about this? You have the courage to think of a way to do something big and kill Jiang Batian.
All the ledgers were stolen to me, and I will reward you heavily."
Ma Xiaoquan scratched his head: "Master Hu, it's impossible to steal everything, right? It's too difficult. As you know, there are several people in charge of the ledgers."
"This is easy to handle. Aren't you very familiar with Niu San? Give this letter to Niu San. After he reads it, he will help you." Huang Tianhu said, throwing a letter to Ma Xiaoquan.
Ma Xiaoquan deliberately held the envelope upside down and nodded: "Okay, I'll go right away."
...
Niu Sanjia.
"My sister...she actually..." Niu San was so angry that he tore the letter into pieces.
"Brother Niu San, what's wrong with you?" Ma Xiaoquan knew what Niu San was angry about, because the content of the letter was the news that Niu San's sister was killed by Jiang Batian.
Niu San gritted his teeth and said, "Han San, what did Huang Tianhu say when I gave you this letter?"
Ma Xiaoquan did not hide anything and said: "Brother Niu, I actually pretended to help Huang Tianhu on the orders of the leader Jiang Batian. Huang Tianhu asked me to steal the leader's account book for him. I sent one before. Huang Tianhu said
Nothing to see…”
Niu San coldly snorted: "What a Jiang Batian, he sent you to deal with Huang Tianhu. Hum, he gave you a fake account book, so Niu San brother will give you the real one."
"Really? Brother Niu San, what are you doing? You don't want to betray the boss, do you?"
"Betrayal?" Niu San's eyes turned red, "Han San, wait for me for an hour. I will give you an answer after an hour."
"good"
...
An hour later, Niu San found Ma Xiaoquan and secretly handed him two ledgers.
"Shh... don't make any noise. This is Jiang Batian's real account book. I copied two copies. You can give it to Huang Tianhu..."
Ma Xiaoquan was surprised: "Brother Niu San, what's wrong with you?"
Niu Sandao: "Jiang Batian killed my sister and threw her body in the wild. My second brother and I just found my sister's body. Poor girl has been eaten by wild wolves and there is nothing left.
, If I hadn’t recognized her clothes, wuwuwu...I...I wouldn’t let Jiang Batian go. Take these two account books and show them to Huang Tianhu, he will read them.
From now on, everything will be understood.”
Ma Xiaoquan said oh and stuffed the account book into his arms.
At night, Ma Xiaoquan sneaked back to the housekeeper's residence and carefully read the two ledgers Niu San gave him.
Compared with the ones given by Jiang Batian before, these two account books are not only much more detailed in content, but also have many problematic records clearly marked.
Ma Xiaoquan took one of the copies and gave it to Hua Yue. He kept the other copy and planned to give it to Huang Tianhu tomorrow.
Huayue suggested that the other account should not be given to Huang Tianhu, because these two account books are very useful, and should be left to study carefully to discover the fishy nature of Jiang Batian.
Ma Xiaoquan objected, thinking that if they were all detained, Huang Tianhu would not be able to gain Huang Tianhu's trust. Huang Tianhu might still be doubtful at the moment. If he could successfully hand over an account book, Huang Tianhu might be able to trust him more.
Hua Yue objected with a smile: Huang Tianhu and Jiang Batian both have strong clan concepts. The people they identify generally come from the same place as themselves. In other words, no matter what Ma Xiaoquan does, it will not matter.
May gain their complete trust.
Ma Xiaoquan dragged his chin, thinking that Hua Yue's words made sense.
"So..." Huaye concluded, "It doesn't matter if you have a strong sense of clan and fellow villagers, but you are afraid of nepotism. In this way, no matter how big you are, you will perish... To give a counterexample, my Hua family
...Our family has been continuously attracting outstanding talents from outside for more than 1,500 years. Regardless of whether their surname is Hua or not, we have established a good relationship with them. Of course, we must win over them.
Individuals, sometimes marriage is also essential...so we have survived for a long time..."
Ma Xiaoquan lamented Hua Yue's overall view: "You are right. The Ma family has been adhering to this approach since I established it in the late Han Dynasty. Therefore, although it is not as good as before, it has still survived in these troubled times. Very soon